Cloth-protector for folding umbrella

ABSTRACT

Striplike fabric supports made of a flexible elastic material and secured to the stick of a telescopically collapsible umbrella extend along umbrella ribs respectively to prevent the umbrella fabric from being caught between folded ribs when the umbrella is collapsed.

United States Patent [191 Okuda [111 3,826,272 July 30, 1974 CLOTH-PROTECTOR FOR FOLDING UMBRELLA Toshio Okuda, Daito, Japan Hashimotoso Kabushiki Kaisha, I Osaka, Japan Filed: Nov. 9, 1972 Appl. N0.: 305,066

Inventor:

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 22, 1971 Japan 46-109696 US. Cl. 135/20 R, 135/26 Int. Cl A45b 19/06 Field of Search 135/20, 25, 26

References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1941 Siers 135/26 9/1972 Weber 135/26 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[57] ABSTRACT Striplike fabric supports made of a flexible elastic material and secured to the stick of a telescopicallycollapsible umbrella extend along umbrella ribs respectively to prevent the umbrella fabric from being caught between folded ribs when the umbrella is collapsed.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 CLOTH-PROTECTOR FOR FOLDING UMBRELLA SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION When a conventional umbrella with telescopically collapsible stick is closed with the stick pushed in to collapsed position, the fabric of the umbrella gathers at the upper portion of the collapsed umbrella and gets in between the folded ribs, rendering the umbrella unsightly in its closed form, so that the portions of the fabric held between the ribs are usually pulled out to keep the umbrella in shape and the umbrella is then fastened with a band.

The present invention aims to eliminate the abovementioned procedure heretofore required after the closing of the umbrella. According to the present invention, there is provided a protector for the fabric of a telescopic umbrella which is made of a flexible and elastic material and to be disposed between the ribs and fabric of the umbrella so that when the umbrella is closed with its stick collapsed, the fabric gathering at the upper portion of the stick-will be automatically BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in section showing a fabric support portion in an inverted V-shaped form;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section showing a fabric support in an arcuate convex form;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the embodiment as it is secured to an umbrella; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an umbrella in its collapsed and folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a protector for use in a telescopic umbrella by which when the umbrella is closed with its stick pushed in to the collapsed position, the fabric of the umbrella can be prevented from being caught between the folded umbrella ribs.

In the case of a conventional umbrella with a telescopically collapsible stick, the fabric of the umbrella gathers predominantly at the upper portion A (see FIG. 5) of the umbrella when the umbrella is closed with its stick in collapsed position. Since the gathering portions of the fabric are caught between the folded umbrella ribs at this time, the closed umbrella assumes an unsightly or irregular shape, making it necessary to pull out the caught portions by the hand to put the umbrella into shape before fastening with a band.

Such drawback heretofore experienced is eliminated by this invention by which the fabric gathering at the upper portion of the stick can be urged or filliped outward so as not to be caught between folded ribs when the umbrella is closed with the stick in the collapsed state.

With reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of this invention, FIG. 1 shows a protector made of a flexible and elastic material such as polypropylene and comprising a center portionformed with a hole 1 to be fitted about the stick of an umbrella and substantially striplike fabric supports 2 resiliently secured to and extending from the center portion radially of the center of stick of the umbrella along the umbrella ribs- 3. The resilient members 2 are preferably formed as an integral part of the hub portion and are resiliently connected thereto as indicated by the lines 6. The fabric supports 2 are identical to the ribs 3 in number and each has an inverted V-shape as shown in FIG. 2 or an arcuate convex shape as illustrated in FIG. 3 when seen in the direction of the rib.

The fabric protector of this invention having the foregoing construction is secured to the stick of the umbrella so as to be positioned between the fabric and the ribs 3 as shown in FIG. 4.

When the umbrella having the protector disposed between the fabric and the ribs is closed with its stick in the collapsed state, the fabric gathering at the upper part of the stick is urged outward by the ends of the fabric supports 2 which are free to move. Thus the fabric is prevented from being caught between the ribs, making it possible to fold the umbrella in a tidy form automatically.

The protector having the foregoing construction and effect is easy to produce and to fix to the umbrella without particular necessity to provide working for. the urn brella. Moreover, the invention assures that the fabric of the umbrella will be folded in a tidy form automatically as intended.

What is claimed is:

1. A protector for the fabric of a telescopic umbrella made of a flexible elastic sheetmaterial and comprising a center portion having a hole adapted to be fitted about a stick of the umbrella, radially outwardly directed members extending from said central portion and being identical to the umbrella ribs in number, said radially outwardly directed members being U-shaped in the cross section and arranged to be positioned between the fabric and the ribs of the umbrella and said each members arranged to have the ribs positioned within the concave portion thereof, and resilient means positioned at the juncture of each of said radially outwardly directed members and said central portion, whereby the fabric of the umbrella is urged outwardly during closing of the ribs to prevent uneven foldingand tangling of the fabric.

2. A protector for the fabric of a telescopic umbrella comprising, a central portion having an aperture formed therein for receiving the stick element of the umbrella, radially outwardly directed members extending from said central portion and arranged to be positioned between the fabric and the ribs of the umbrella, said radially outwardly directed members being U- shaped in the cross section and arranged to have the ribs positioned within the concave portion thereof, and resilient means positioned at the juncture of each of said radially outwardly directed members and said central portion, whereby the fabric of the umbrella is urged outwardly during closing of the ribs to prevent uneven folding and tangling of the fabric.

- 3. The protector according to claim 2, wherein said resilient means is formed'integral with said central portion and said radially outwardly directed members.

' I I i l 

1. A protector for the fabric of a telescopic umbrella made of a flexible elastic sheet material and comprising a center portion having a hole adapted to be fitted about a stick of the umbrella, radially outwardly directed members extending from said central portion and being identical to the umbrella ribs in number, said radially outwardly directed members being U-shaped in the cross section and arranged to be positioned between the fabric and the ribs of the umbrella and said each members arranged to have the ribs positioned within the concave portion thereof, and resilient means positioned at the juncture of each of said radially outwardly directed members and said central portion, whereby the fabric of the umbrella is urged outwardly during closing of the ribs to prevent uneven folding and tangling of the fabric.
 2. A protector for the fabric of a telescopic umbrella comprising, a central portion having an aperture formed therein for receiving the stick element of the umbrella, radially outwardly directed members extending from said central portion and arranged to be positioned between the fabric and the ribs of the umbrella, said radially outwardly directed members being U-shaped in the cross section and arranged to have the ribs positioned within the concave portion thereof, and resilient means positioned at the juncture of each of said radially outwardly directed members and said central portion, whereby the fabric of the umbrella is urged outwardly during closing of the ribs to prevent uneven folding and tangling of the fabric.
 3. The protector according to claim 2, wherein said resilient means is formed integral with said central portion and said radially outwardly directed members. 